The Alamogordo Department of Public Safety has released the fatal accident report involving a New Mexico State University basketball player that happened last year.

ADPS released the report Thursday after the Alamogordo Daily News requested a copy of it on Jan. 16 in an attempt to discover why it took a year to charge Emery D. Coleman II in connection with the accident.

Coleman was allegedly texting on his cell phone when the accident occurred on Jan. 5, 2012. Alamogordo resident Clarence G. Boulanger was killed in the crash.

Coleman was charged more than a year later, on Jan. 16 of this year, with one count of third-degree felony homicide by vehicle (reckless driving).

He is released on a $5,000 unsecured bond pending his preliminary hearing Jan. 30. An unsecured bond essentially means he is released on his own recognizance. If he fails to appear for his preliminary hearing, Coleman must pay $5,000 to Magistrate Court.

He was 18 at the time of the accident. When reached via cell phone on Jan. 16, he declined comment.

ADPS Capt. Israel Trujillo said detectives first attempted — but were unable — to get a crash investigation team from Truth or Consequences, but finally got the team from the New Mexico State Police in Santa Fe.

"It took a little bit of time to get them (the reconstruction team) down here," Trujillo said. "We had two (accidents) to do. I really don't know, but it took a while to get them both done at the same time.

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When they reconstructed it down here, they had to go back and put it all together and give us the findings. It's not a real quick thing."

New Mexico State Police spokesman Lt. Robert E. McDonald said reconstructions, on average, take an additional 30 to 40 hours by the lead investigator to complete and file a report.

"Some are longer, some shorter," McDonald wrote in an e-mail. "Obviously, it depends on the complexity of each investigation. Since we are a part-time team, the investigation usually cannot concentrate only on one thing, so those hours usually get spread over three to four weeks."

According to the report, the reconstructionist was not available until July 24, 2012.

Trujillo said the 12th Judicial District Attorney's Office met with Boulanger's family.

"When we got the approval from the DA's office, we got it done," he said. "Once we put everything together and presented it to the DA's office, of course, they looked everything over and made sure we're all on the same page as far as charging. I really don't have the exact timeline that it took for how long the reconstruction took place and the entire investigation."